Devices for operating discharge gates of hoppers and the like



July 11, 1961 P. ARBEL 2,991,730

DEVICES FOR OPERATING DISCHARGE GATES OF HOPPERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 2, 1958 INVEN TOR. P: EIZEE A2 BEL.

ATTO 2N EYS United States P3162? 2,991,730 DEVICES FOR OPERATING DISCHARGE GATES F HOPPERS AND Tm LIKE Pierre Arbel, Paris, France, assignor of one-half to Etablissements Arbel, Paris, France, a company of France Filed July 2, 1958, Ser. No. 746,265 Claims priority, application France July 5, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 105-240) This invention relates to improvements in the mechanism for operating discharge gates or flap-doors of hoppers of railway cars, silos and the like, said improvements consisting essentially of a novel arrangement of the gate-closing members. This invention is concerned notably with a device for controlling the flap-doors or discharge gates which comprises means for properly locking these doors or gates in their closed position, as well as an automatic gate re-closing system for accumulating or storing up the energy produced during the opening movement by the weight of the doors and also by the discharge ofthe load of material from the hopper, for example and preferably by compressing air contained in a hydropneumatic accumulator. During the opening movement of the flap-doors or gates, this recuperator acts as a shock-absorber and permits the automatic closing of the flap-doors by the energy stored up in the energy accumulator, for example of the hydropneumatic type, during the opening movement.

In the attached drawing forming part of this specification there is shown diagrammatically by way of example a typical form of embodiment of the hydropneumatic control device forming the subject-matter of this invention. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the hopper with the flap-doors or gates in their closed position; and

FIGURE 2 shows same arrangement with the flap-doors in their open position.

In both figures of the drawing, there is shown at T a hopper provided with discharge gates or flap-doors 3, 4 pivoted at 5 on the hopper structure. In the example illustrated, the hopper gate 4 is adapted, when closed, to receivethe outer edge of the other gate 3, as shown in FIG. 1.

This gate 4 is provided with lateral check members 6 adapted, when the gates are closed, to rest upon the bent lower arm 7 of a locking lever 8 pivoted on a fixed pin 9. At its outer end the upper arm of lever 8 is pivotally connected through a pin 10 to a link 11 having its opposite end attached through a pivot pin 12 to a control lever 13. The latter is fulcrumed on a pin 14 carried by a fixed lug. In the closed position, the pivot pin 12 of lever 13 rests on a check member 15. The lever is held in its position on the one hand by a locking bolt or like member 16 and on the other hand-as the pivot 12 has slightly overstepped the position in which it is aligned with the pivot pins 10 and 14by the weight of the material supported by the flapdoors proper. Of course, two locking levers 8 are provided, disposed on either side of the hopper and controlled both by the lever 13.

The gates 3, 4 are provided with lateral arms 17, 17' rigid therewith. The ends of these arms are connected through pivot pins 18, 19 to the pistons of cylinders 20, 21 having their bodies connected by pins 22, 23 to the support 24 secured to the hopper.

These cylinders 26, 21 are connected through flexible hoses 25, 26 to the main line 27 leading to branch pipes 28, 29 connected in turn the former 28 to a manuallyoperated pump 40 and the latter to a hydropneumatic accumulator 31. The liquid and air, or the compressed gas contained in the accumulator are separated either by in ii ice a movable piston or by a diaphragm-forming elastic member.

Interposed between the branch line 29 and accumulator 31 is a check valve 32 whereby the liquid may penetrate into the accumulator but cannot escape therefrom unless a hand-lever 34 is depressed to acuate a rod 33. This hand-lever 34 is fulcrumed at '35 and when the operator depresses it in the direction of the arrow F, the other end of the lever pushes the rod 33 upwards to open the valve and enable the liquid stored in the accumulator to flow through the branch line 29, main line 27 and flexible hoses 25, 26 into the cylinders and 21.

The hand pump and the reservoir 30 associated therewith may be isolated from the other sections of the installations by a gate valve 37. Under normal operating conditions this gate valve is closed. The pump 40 is actuated by means of a hand-lever 38 pivoted on a fixed support 36.

The pipe line 28 leading to the reservoir 30 is provided at its outer end with a discharge 39.

The arrangement described hereinabove operates as follows:

When it is desired to discharge the content of the hopper, the locking bolt 16 is removed and the lever 13 actuated in the direction of the arrow 1, thereby rotating the pivot pin 12 in the counterclockwise direction. The link 11 causes the locking lever 8 to rotate in the same direction, so that the gates 3, 4 are released from their closed position by the bent lower arm 7 of this lever; the pressure exerted by the material contained in the hopper causes the gates 3, 4 to pivot to the vertical position in which they are shown in FIG. 2. The levers 17, 17 rigid with the gates 3, 4 cause the pistons of cylinders 20, 21 to move therein and thus force the liquid filling these cylinders into the accumulator 31 through the pipe lines 25, 26, 27 and 29. The check valve '32 prevents the liquid from escaping from the accumulator.

To reclose the gates upon completion of the hopper discharging operation, the operator raises the rod 33 of valve 32 by moving the lever 34 in the direction of the arrow F. The gas pressure in the accumulator causes the liquid to flow through the pipe lines in the reverse direction to cylinders 20, 21; consequently, the pistons drive levers 17, 17' and restore the gates to their closed postion. By simply-fotating'the lever 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow 1'', FIG. 2, and re-fitting the locking bolt 16 in its recess, the hopper Will be ready for a fresh loading operation.

As already set forth hereinabove, the manually-operated pump 40 and reservoir 30 are normally isolated by the gate valve 37 from the hydraulic section of the installation. However, it may become necessary to adjust the pressure in the accumulator 31. To this end, the gate valve 37 is opened and by subsequently actuating the lever 38 of pump 40 more liquid is transferred from reservoir 30 to accumulator 31, thereby increasing the pressure in the accumulator.

If it is desired to reduce the pressure in the accumulator, the discharge cook 39 is also opened and by operating the lever 34 in the direction of the arrow F the rod 33 of valve 32 will be raised, thus allowing the liquid to flow from accumulator 31 to reservoir 30. When the desired pressure value has been attained, the lever 34 is released and the gate valve 37 and discharge cock 39 are closed;

Moreover, it may become necessary to open the gates 3, 4 when the hopper or car is empty, for repair or cleaning works, for example.

In this case, the gates 3, 4 are opened by unlocking same by means of the bolt 16, whereafter both valves 37 and 39 are opened to enable the liquid contained in cylinders 20, 21 to fiow freely into the reservoir 30 through pipe lines 25, 26, 27 and 28. To reclose the gates the operator shuts off the discharge cock 39 and then actuates the pump 40 to force the liquid back into the cylinders, whereby the pistons are moved outwards and lift the gates 3, 4. Then, the isolating cook 37 is closed again.

Of course, the device described hereinabove -is given by way of example only.

This invention is concerned more particularly with the provision, on the hopper, of a recuperator acting at the same time as a shock-absorber during the opening of the gates and as a means for accumulating the force necessary for automatically re-closing these gates.

Of course, the recuperator may be of any other suitable type, -for example of the spring type.

I claim:

1. In combination with the pivoted dischargegates of a hopper, which gates constitute substantially the complete bottom floor of the hopper, means for controlling the opening and closing of the pivoted discharge gates of a hopper comprising means for locking the gates in a closed position, means connected to the locking means for re leasing said locking means to permit the gates to swing to an open position by gravity and under the weight of a load in the hopper, an energy accumulator, means connecting the gates to said energy accumulator for transferring energy, produced by the opening movement of the gates, to the accumulator where it is stored, means preventing the release of the energy stored in the accumu lator and means for releasing said last named means to permit the energy to act through the connecting means for automatically returning the gates to a closed position.

2. In combination with a hopper having an open lower end and gate means pivoted to the hopper for closing ofi said end and which gates constitute the complete bottom floor of the hopper; a device for controlling the opening and closing of the gate means, said device comprising a locking means for holding the gate means in a closed position, means connected to the locking means for releasing said locking means to permit the gate means to swing by gravity and under the weight of a load in the hopper into an open position, a hydropneumatic accumulator, means connecting the gate means to said accumulator for transferring energy to the accumulator where it is stored, means preventing the release of the energy stored in the accumulator and means for releasing said last named 4 means to permit the energy to act through said connecting means for automatically returning the gate means to a closed position.

3. In combination with a hopper having an open lower end and gate means pivoted to the hopper for closing ofi said end and which gates constitute the complete bottom floor of the hopper; a device for controlling the opening and closing of the gate means, said device comprising a locking means for holding the gate means in a closed position, manually-operable means connected to the locking means for releasing said locking means to permit the gate means to swing by gravity and under the weight of a load in the hopper into an open position, a hydropneumatic accumulator, means connecting the gate means to said accumulator for transferring energy to the accumulator responsive to the opening movement or the gate means, means preventing the release of the energy stored in the accumulator and manually-operable means for releasing said last named means to permit the energy to act through said connecting means for automatically returning the gates to a closed position.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said gate means includes two complemental gate sections hingedly carried by the hopper and having adjacent free ends, the end of one of the gate sections underlying the end of the other gate section and engaging said end to hold the other gate section in a closed position and said locking means for the gate means including a pivoted locking lug engaging the end of said one gate section.

5. The combination of claim 3, wherein said connecting means includes fluid cylinders, said cylinders having pistons working therein, means carried by the gate means connected to the pistons, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders to the accumulator.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said means preventing the release of the energy stored in the accumulator includes a check valve operatively interposed between the cylinders and the accumulator.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein a pump is provided and is connected with the accumulator, said pump being associated with a reservoir for the operating fluid and valve means operatively interposed between the pump and the accumulator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 662,529 Frerking Nov. 27, 1900 744,552 How et a1 Nov. 17, 1903 1,100,952 Bujewski June 23, 1914 1,920,868 Kirk Aug. 1, 1933 2,598,958 Wood June 3, 19 52 

